Caribbean Cruise

by Jessica Beihl
(North Clarendon, VT)

This Caribbean cruise cake is composed of palm trees, flamingos and a cruise ship making this cake perfect for a Tropical Caribbean Wedding.

1. To start this cake I made the Flamingos and Palm Tree 3 days in advance so they had time to dry. Both were made using Fondant, which can be bought at any cake decorating supply stores.

2. To begin I used 12g floral wire to form a skeletal structure for the palm tree and 2 flamingos. This wire structure will help the figures to hold their shape. I colored the fondant to the desired colors and began wrapping it around the wire, shaping it into the desired shape. I then put toothpicks as legs on the flamingos and covered them in fondant as well.

3. By using the end of a small paint brush, details can be added to the figures. For the palm tree leaves I cut a strip of green fondant. I than cut slits down both sides and draped over the top of the palm tree structure. Continue until you have desired look.

4. To add a more realistic look, I added colors to the palm tree and Flamingos. This is done by adding vodka to edible shimmer dust to form an edible paint.

5. A veil and top hat were made out of fondant as well for the Flamingos. The windows, anchor and other ship details were made at this time as well. Your imagination is the limit with what details you can make out of fondant for the cake.

6. An 8” round cake was cut free hand to make the two islands. Spread on a thin layer of icing and wrap them with green fondant. Mini flowers can be made out of fondant and added to the islands to add more detail.

7. A piece of plywood covered in aluminum foil was used for this Caribbean scene to be displayed on.

8. There are three sections to the ship, bottom, top and middle. Three 11” x 16” rectangle cakes are needed for the ship. Cut each cake down the middle lengthwise making them approximately 5.5” x 16”.


9. For the bottom of the ship stack two pieces of cake with icing in between. Cut about four inches off the length making the cake 5.5” x 12”. Place straws in the cake spacing them apart, and cut off excess. These will be the supports to hold the ship from collapsing. Spread with a light layer of frosting and cover with colored fondant. Place on the plywood base.

10. For the middle of the ship stack two pieces of cake with frosting in between on a 5.5” x 16” cake board. Cut your desired angle off of one end forming the nose of the ship. Again add the straws for support and cut off excess. Spread with a thin layer of frosting and cover with fondant. Stack onto bottom part of ship.

11. For the top layer of the ship 2 layers of cake with frosting between were cut to about 4” x 9”. Spread with a thin layer of frosting and cover the caribbean cruise cake with fondant. Stack onto middle part of ship.

12. I then added all the details to the ship made out of fondant including windows, doors, port holes, an anchor, wires and a “Just Married” sign. Other decorations included the railing around edge of boat that were made out of 12g wire and colored frosting, a swimming pool on top of boat which was poured sugar. The veil and top hat can be attached to the flamingos by using royal icing.

13. At this point drill holes in plywood where you want the Flamingos to stand and stick them in. Place the palm trees in their desired locations as well.

14. The last step is the water. Make sure that any surface there is to be water is covered with aluminum foil. By coloring piping gel blue and spreading it on the aluminum foil, you get a realistic look of water.

15. To finish off the edges of the plywood any kind of ribbon can be glued on for a finished look.